STRESS WELLby

Nicola Morgan

www.nicolamorgan.com

1.3.1Problems with

stress

Remember:

• “Stress” is good when it helps us perform well

• The feeling of nervousness is caused by chemicals making our body ready to do our best performance

So, what’s the problem with stress?

There are three problems

1. Normal stress can turn into panic

Then you might make mistakesand not do your best

(Soon, you will learn a great strategy!)

The second problem

2. Worries take up space in your mind,so you have less space for concentrating.

This is called “preoccupation”: your brain is “occupied” by worry

If you are “preoccupied” by worry

This can make you distracted, snappy and less well controlled.

It affects your mood and your work because you’re thinking about your worry so much.

The third problem

3. If you don’t have enough breaks for relaxation, the chemical “cortisol” collects in

your body

What can happen then?

You might have any of these problems:• Difficulty sleeping• Feeling tired; hard to concentrate• Headaches, stomach-aches• Feeling low• You can catch colds (etc) more easily• Schoolwork grades can suffer

Help! What can I do?

• There are lots of ways to stop ALL these problems!

• We’re coming to that soon!

STRESS WELLby

Nicola Morgan

www.nicolamorgan.com

1.3.1Problems with

stress